Self-loading truck



March 12, 1957 s. v. BOWLES SELF-LOADING TRUCK Filed Dec. 15, 1953INVENTOR. \SKIMUEL BMW-5 BY Q M' Maw 37 Jhorrt lillfllfl I n I l I n u usELF-LoAorNG TRUCK Application December 15, 1953, Serial'No. 398,341

20 Claims. (Cl. 214-48) The present invention relates generally topower- .operated loaders, and more particularly to a power- ,operatedloader which may be used in connection with trash and garbage collectingtrucks.

The conventional method of collecting trash and similar material byhouse-to-house route trucks involves the problem of individually liftinga large number of household trash containers up to the height of thetruck body Walls and emptying their contents into the truck. Thisprocedure requires the trucks to be provided with platforms or otherstructures upon which a workman can stand while dumping the trash intothe truck. The conventional method requires at least one man to stand onthe aforementioned loading platform and another to pass up the trashcontainers. In carrying out the conventional method of trash collection,it often occurs that some of the contents of the trash containers isspilled along the street, thereby creating an unsightly and unsanitarycondition.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide apower-operated loading device suitable for attachment to a conventionaltrash truck for lifting the contents of trash containers from the streetlevel into the body of a high-walled dump truck.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of theclass described which incorporates means for distributing the materialevenly within the body of the truck.

United States Patent It is a still further object of the invention toprovide a device of the class described having hydraulic power cylinderswhich incorporate novel hydraulic shock absorbing means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a power-operatedloading device which obviates and alleviates many difficultiesencountered in the use of conventional manual loading procedure.

The foregoing and additional objects and advantages of the inventionwill be apparent from the following detailed description of oneembodiment thereof, consid- I eration being given likewise to theattached drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation View of a trash truck equipped with apower-operated loading device constructed according to the presentinvention, said device being shown in full line in the trash-receivingposition and in phantom line in an intermediate position during aloading cycle;

Figure 2 is a side elevation similar to Figure l, but with said devicebeing shown in full line in a further intermediate position during theloading cycle and in phantom line at the limiting position of theloading cycle;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 inFigure 1;

Figure 4 is an axial section taken through a power cylinder employedsaid device; and,

Figure 5 is an enlarged portion indicated by the numetal 5 in Figure 4.

A conventional trash collecting truck is identified in 2,784,853Patented Mar. 12, 1957 Too the drawings by the reference character 10.The truck 10 is equipped with a conventional high-walled dump body 11,pivotally mounted on the rear of the truck chassis, and having a hingedtailgate to permit dumping of the contents of the body. Uptilting of thebody to dump the contents thereof is accomplished by the use of ahydraulic power cylinder of conventional design (not shown). The detailsof the truck 10 and body 11 except as hereinafter mentioned, areconventional and do not form a part of the present invention. For thatreason such conventional details are not set forth at length herein.

The power-operated loading device embodying the present invention isidentified in the drawings by the reference character 15, and comprisesin general a pair of articulated longitudinally extending lifting arms16 which are secured to each side of the truck frame at a pivot axis 17;a transversely extending, rectangular, trashreceiving bucket 18 carriedon the forward ends of the arms 16; and, hydraulic, power cylinders 19and 20 to be hereinafter described in detail.

The lifting arms 16 each include a proximal or elevating section 21 anda distal or tilting section 22 joined together at a hinge joint or elbowpivot 23. To form the hinged joint 23 a proximal terminal portion of thedistal section 22 underlies a distal terminal portion of the proximalsection 21 and the sections are pivotally connected near the upper sideof the arm about these terminal portions. The terminal portions ofsections 21 and 22 are formed with mating surfaces 24 whereby the twosections when extended to an aligned position such as shown in phantomline in Figure 1, lock together to form a single cantilever arm with thebucket 18 Supported on the outer end thereof.

When the lifting arms 16 are in their lowermost substantially horizontalposition shown in. Figure 1, each distal section 22 is supported on theends of the front bumper 25 of the truck 10 by a short angle section 26welded to the inner surfaces of the distal section 22, as shown inFigure 3. It will also be apparent from Figure 3, that the sections 21and 22 of the arms 16 are of box beam construction. Rollers 27 arerotatably mounted at the front end of the bucket 18 adjacent the forwardend of the arm 16. These rollers are adapted to roll up over a curb orother obstruction approached by the truck when the arms 16 are in thelowered position as shown in full line in Figure 1. When the rollers 27encounter such an obstruction, the bucket 18 will be lifted slightly,pivoting the arms about the pivotal axis 17 to pass over suchobstruction and thereby prevent damage to the device.

In general, the loading of material into the truck body 11 by the bucket18 is accomplished by first filling the latter from trash containerswhen the bucket 18 is in the lowered position shown in Figure l.Thereafter the bucket is lifted upwardly over the cab of the truck 10 asshown by the progressive intermediate positions in Figures 1 and 2,respectively. When the arm reaches or approaches top dead center, or avertical position such as shown approximately in Figure 2 at 29, the armsections 21 and 22 are buckled about the hinge joint 23 so as to swingthe bucket 18 rearwardly, inverting the same and dumping the contentsthereof into the-truck body 11.

The contents of the bucket 18 can be dumped into different portions ofthe body 11 by buckling the arm sections 21-452 at various positions ofthe loading cycle. For example, when the arm 16 is at the rear limit ofits travel against abutments 30 formed in the body 11 and the armsections 21 are thereafter buckled to dump the contents of the bucketinto the bed 11, such contents will be dumped toward the rear of thetruck body 11,

If, on the other hand the sections 21 and 22 are buckled prior to thetime the arm 16 reaches a top dead center position, the contents or thebucket 18 will be dumped toward the forward end of the truck body.Material which has already been dumped into the truck body 11 may bepushed toward the rear thereof by buckling the arm sections 2122 so asto lower the bucket into the position shown at 31 in Figure 2, andthereafter working the arms 16 back and forth about the pivot 17, asindicated by the double headed arrow 32.

The upswinging of each of the arms 16 is accomplished by means of adouble-acting hydraulic power cylinder 19 (one of a pair), pivotallyattached to the frame of the truck at 33. The power cylinder 19 is shownin detail in Figure 4, and it includes a piston 39 and forwardlyextending connecting rod 34, the latter being pivotally connected to theouter end of a crank arm 35 integrally formed on the rear of theproximal arm section 21.

Referring to Figure 4, it will be seen that by admitting pressurizedhydraulic fluid at the outer end of each hydraulic cylinder 19 through afluid connection 37 and releasing fluid through the rearward fluidconnection 38, the piston 39 may be urged rearwardly in the cylinder 19.Such rearward movement of the piston 39 will pull inwardly on theconnecting rod 34 and thus swing the arms 16 in a counterclockwisedirection about the pivot 17. Conversely, the introduction of fluidunder pressure through the fluid connection 38 near the rear end of thecylinder 19 forces the piston 39 and the connecting rod 34 outwardly orforwardly within the cylinder so as to swing the arms 16 clockwise fromtheir rearmost position against the abutment 30 to their trash-receivingposition shown in full line in Figure 1. It will be realized that duringthe swinging of the arms 16 between the limits of their pivotal motion,there is some rocking movement of the cylinder 19, and thus fluiddelivered thereto is delivered through conventional flexible pressureconduits (not shown).

The buckling and straightening of the lifting arm sections 21-22 isaccomplished in a manner similar to that described hereinabove by meansof a power cylinder 20 pivotally connected to the proximal arm section21 at 40 and having a connecting rod 41 pivotally connected to theunderlying proximal terminal portion of the distal section 22. Thus, itwill be seen that by admitting fluid under pressure to the inner end ofthe cylinder 20, the piston therein will be forced outwardly, bucklingthe arms as shown in Figure 2, and, conversely admitting fluid to theouter end of the cylinder 20 will cause the connecting rod thereof toretract into the cylinder thereby straightening the arm sections 21 and22.

Due to the substantial weight of the trash-receiving bucket 18, themovement of the lifting arms 16 to the limits of their motion wouldnormally be expected to occasion considerable mechanical shock. Suchmechanical shock, for example, would occur when the arms engage theabutment 30 as the upper limit of the loading cycle is reached, as shownin Figure 2.

The present invention includes means for cushioning such shock. To thisend, both the hydraulic cylinders 19 and 20 are preferably constructedwith integral shock absorbing means illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. Suchshock absorbing means includes a pair of cup-shaped elements 42 and 43extending from the opposite sides of the piston 39, and complementalplug members 44 and 45 ,formed as part of the closures for the ends ofthe cylinder 19. The plug members 44 and 45 are adapted to enter the cupmembers 42 and 43 as the piston 39 approaches the inner and outer limitsof its travel in the cylinder 19. The diameter of the plug 44approximates the internal diameter of the cup member 42, the clearancetherebetween being on the order of ten to fifteen thousandths of aninch. Furthermore, each of plug'members 44 and 45 or alternatively, eachof the cup members 42 and 43 may be of slinhtl) tapered confi urationwhereby the clearance between the plug and cup members will becomeprogressively reduced as either plug enters one or" the cups.

With this arrangement, as the piston 39 approaches either end of thecylinder 19 and the plug 44 enters the cup 42, for example, thehydraulic fluid trapped within the cup 42 can escape only through therelatively small annular space between the cup and plug. Consequently,the motion of the piston 39 within the cylinder 19 is cushioned ordampened thereby substantially eliminating any severe mechanical shocksat the limit of piston motion.

Sealing of the piston 39 relative to the walls of the cylinders 19 isaccomplished with conventional leather piston cups 47 mounted in theusual manner.

I have found it convenient to assemble the main lifting cylinders 19 asshown in Figures 4 and 5. The construction of the buckling cylinders 20is similar to that or the main lifting cylinders. As can be seen inFigure 4, the inner cylinder head 50 is secured to the rear of thecylinder 19 as by welding 51, the integral plug member 45 being properlyaligned within the cylinder 19 by a shoulder 52 closely fitting theinside diameter of the cylinder 19. The outer cylinder head 53 isremovably secured to a flange 54 as by bolts 55, the flange 54 in turnbeing welded to the front of the cylinder 19 at 56. A conventionalpacking gland 57 encompasses the connecting rod 34. As with the rearcylinder head 50, the plug 44 is integrally joined to the outer cylinderhead 53 by welding 58. Piston 39 and the sealing cup 47 are secured tothe inner end of the connecting rod 44 by means of the cup members 42and 43, cup member 43 being threaded to the inner end of the connectingrod, and cup member 42 being seated against a shoulder 60 formed on saidrod.

While the form and construction of the invention shown and describedherein is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing theadvantages hereinbefore stated, it will be realized that it is capableof considerable modification without departure from the spirit of theinvention. For this reason I do not mean to be limited to the shown anddescribed, but rather to the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A self-loading truck comprising: a chassis; an open topped bodymounted on said chassis; a pair of generally parallel arms mounted attheir proximal ends on opposite sides of said chassis on a transversepivot axis for swinging movement in unison between substantiallyhorizontal and substantially vertical positions, said arms each havingtwo sections hinged together at a point higher than a top-edge of saidbody when said arms are in said substantially vertical position, thedistal sections of said arms being spaced apart less than the maximuminternal width of said body; a bucket mounted between the distal ends ofsaid distal sections and adapted to receive material when said arms aresubstantially horizontal whereby to elevate the same above said bodywhen said arms are raised to said substantially vertical position; firstdouble action power means to swing said arms about said pivot axis asaforesaid; and second double action power means to buckle said sectionsto dump the contents of said bucket into said body when said arms are insaid vertical position and to tilt said distal sections generallydownwardly from said hinged point to lower said bucket and distalsections into said body whereby material therein may be shiftedlongitudinally in said body by operating said first power means toreciprocally swing said arms while buckled as aforesaid.

2. A self-loading truck comprising: a chassis; an open top body mountedon said chassis and having lateral olfsets in the side walls thereofwhereby to provide a major portion of said body of maximum width and a,minor portion of lesser width; a pair of generally parallel armsdisposed on opposite sides of said chassis and mounted at their proximalends on a transverse pivot axis on said chassis said axis being adjacenta lower edge of said minor portion, said arms normally projectingsubstantially horizontally away from said major body portion and beingspaced apart more than the exterior width of said minor portion and lessthan the interior width of said major portion, each of said arms havinga hinge joint intermediate its ends to divide the same into proximal anddistal sections, the hinge joint being above the height of said bodywhen said arms are swung about said pivot axis to a substantiallyvertical position; a bucket mounted between the distal ends of said armsand adapted to receive material when said arms are substantiallyhorizontal to lift the same to a point over said body when said arms areswung upwardly as aforesaid; first double action power means to swingsaid arms between said substantially horizontal and vertical positions;and second power means to buckle said arms at said hinge joints to swingsaid bucket downwardly into said major body portion when said arms arein said vertical position whereby material in said bucket may be dumpedinto said body and shifted therein by reciprocally swinging said armswhile buckled as aforesaid.

3. A self-loading truck comprising: a chassis; an open top body mountedon said chassis and having lateral offsets in the side walls thereofwhereby to provide a major portion of said body of maximum width and aminor portion of lesser width; a pair of generally parallel armsdisposed on opposite sides of said chassis and mounted at their proximalends on a transverse pivot axis on said chassis said axis being adjacentsaid offsets, said arms normally projecting substantially horizontallyaway from said major body portion and being spaced apart more than theexterior width of said minor portion and less than the interior width ofsaid major portion, each of said arms having a hinge joint intermediateits ends to divide the same into proximal and distal sections, the hingejoint being above the height of said body when said arms are swung aboutsaid pivot axis to an upstanding position with said proximal sectionsagainst said olfsets; a bucket mounted between the distal ends of saidarms and adapted to receive material when said arms are substantiallyhorizontal to lift the same to a point over said body when said arms areswung upwardly as aforesaid; first double acting power means to swingsaid arms between said substantially horizontal position and saidupstanding position; and second power means to buckle said arms at saidhinge joints to swing said bucket downwardly into said major bodyportion when said arms are in said upstanding position whereby materialin said bucket may be dumped into said body and shifted therein byreciprocally swinging said arms while buckled as aforesaid.

.4. In a refuse collection truck, in combination; a truck including achassis and an open top receptacle body mounted thereon; a pair ofelevating arms pivoted to said chassis intermediate the forward and rearends thereof for movement from lowered, substantially horizontalpositions to upraised positions projecting substantially verticlallyupwardly; a pair of tilting arms; a pair of elbow pivots connecting theforward ends of said elevating arms to the upper sides of said tiltingarms adjacent the rear ends of the latter, with said rear endsprojecting beneath the forward end portions of the elevating arms whenthe respective arms are in lowered positions; an elongated bucketextending transversely between the forward ends of said tilting arms andrigidly secured thereto, said bucket having a bottom and an open mouth,each disposed in a plane roughly parallel to the common plane of thelongitudinal axes of said tilting arms, whereby, when said arms aremoved to said upraised positions, said mouth will be in a position tocommence the discharge of the contents of the bucket into the truckbody; and servomotor means, acting between said elevating arms and saidchassis, for raising said elevating arms to said upraisd positions; saidelbow pivots providing for downward and rearward swinging movement ofthe tilting arms when the elevating arms are in said upraised positionsand a pair of hydraulic cylinder and piston units each having theforward end thereof pivoted to a rear end of a respective tilting arm ata point offset downwardly and rearwardly from a respective elbow pivotin the lowered,

aligned positions of the arms, and having its rear end pivoted to arespective elevating arm so that said hydraulic units, by extension,when the arms are in said raised positions, may cause said tilting armsto tilt downwardly and rearwardly for dumping the contents of the bucketinto the truck body.

5. A loading device to be used with a truck having an open-topped bodyof predetermined width and height, a chassis supporting said body and afront bumper, com prising: a pair of longitudinally forward extendinglifting arms spaced apart less than said width, each arm including aproximal section and a distal section, the rear end of said proximalsection being pivotally attached to the intermediate portion of saidchassis, said proximal section being of such length as to extend abovesaid body when raised to a vertical position; hinge joints pivotallyinterconnecting said section; mating surfaces formed on said sectionsadjacent said hinge joint for locking said sections together to form aforwardly extending cantilever arm when they are disposed in an axiallyaligned normal position; bracket means on said distal sections forengagement with said front bumper when said arms are substantiallyhorizontal and in said normal position; a material-receiving bucketcarried between the distal ends of said distal sections; a firsthydraulic power cylinder interposed between said chassis and a crank armsecured to the rear end of each of said proximal sections for raisingsaid arms from their normal position to a generally vertically extendingposition; and, a second hydraulic power cylinder interposed between saidsections for buckling said distal section relative to said proximalsection to dump material in said bucket into said body and to lower saidbucket into said body to longitudinally shift material therein, each ofsaid hydraulic power cylinders containing at least one pair ofcomplemental cup and plug members carried respectively by a head of saidcylinder and the piston therein, said complemental memhere beingpositioned and adapted to engage during a portion of the travel of saidpiston in said cylinder adjacent the limit of travel of said piston,whereby to dampen the motion of said piston during said portion of thetravel.

6. A self loading truck comprising: a receptacle body of predeterminedwidth and height, a pair of arms mounted on said truck for swingingmovement in unison be tween generally horizontal and generally verticalpositions, said arms being so mounted that they are positioned adjacentone end of said body when in said generally vertical position and saidarms each having a proximal and distal section hingedly interconnectedat a point which is above the highest point of the adjacent end of saidbody when said arms are in said generally vertical position, the distalsections of said arms being spaced apart less than the internal width ofsaid body; a bucket carried between said distal sections; andpower-operated means for raising said arms in unisonand thereaftercausing the sections of said arms to buckle at said hinged connectionsto dump the contents of said bucket into said body and to tilt saiddistal sections generally downwardly from 'said hinged connections tolower said distal sections into said body whereby material contained insaid body may be shifted therein.

7. A self-loading truck comprising: a receptacle body having a firstportion and a second portion, said second portion being of lesser widththan said first portion; a pair of arms mounted on said truck forswinging move ment in unison between generally horizontal andgeneralvertical positions, said arms each having a proximal and distalsection hingedly interconnected at a point which is above the highestpoint of said body when said arms are in said generally verticalposition, the distal sections of said arms being spaced apart less thanthe minimum internal width of said first portion but more than themaximum external width of said second portion; a bucket carried betweensaid distal sections and adapted to receive material when said arms aregenerally horizontal whereby to elevate said material above said bodywhen said arms are raised to said generally vertical position; andpower-operated means for raising said arms section pivotally secured tosaid truck and a distal section pivotally connected to the end of saidproximal section remote from said truck; a material-receiving bucketcarried by the distal ends of said distal sections; and

powenoperated means for raising said sections in unison and thereaftercausing said sections to buckle at the connection therebetween wherebymaterial contained in said bucket will be dumped into said body, saidpower-operated means including fluid actuated power cylinders whichcontain a cornplemental' cup and plug member carried respectively by ahead of said cylinder and the piston therein, said complemental membersbeing positioned and adapted to engage during a portion of the travel ofsaid piston in said cylinder adjacent the limit of travel of saidpiston, whereby to dampen the motion of said piston during said portionof the travel.

9. A self loading truck comprising: a receptacle body; a pair ofparallel lifting arms, each having a proximal section pivotallyconnected to said truck and a distal section pivotally connected to theend of said proximal section remote from said truck; amaterial-receiving bucket carried by said distal'section; andpower-operated means for raising said sections in unison and thereaftercausing said sections to buckle at the connection therebetwecn wherebymaterial contained in said bucket will be dumped into said body, saidpower-operated means including fluid actuated power cylinders each ofwhich contain at least one pair of complemental cup and plug membersadapted to dampen the motion of the piston during a portion of itstravel.

10. A self-loading truck comprising; a receptacle body; a pair ofgenerally parallel arms mounted at their proximal ends on said truck forswinging movement between generally horizontal and generally verticalpositions, said arms each having a proximal section and a distalsection; a hinge joint connecting each distal section to a respectiveproximal section with a terminal portion of one of said sectionsextending under a terminal portion of the other section when said armsare generally horizontal, said terminal portions having mating surfaceswhich engage when said arms are in axial alignment to lock said jointsagainst buckling in an upward direction but to allow buckling of saidjoints in a downward direction; a material bucket carried between saiddistal sections; and power operated means for raising said arms inunison and thereafter causing said sections to buckle at said hingejoints as aforesaid to dump material in said bucket into said body.

ll A self-loading truck comprising: a receptacle body of predeterminedwidth and height; a pair of elevating arms mounted at their proximalends on opposite sides of said truck for swinging movement betweengenerally horizontal and generally vertical positions; a pair of tiltingarms; a pair of elbow pivots connecting the distal ends of saidfiidviiiii'lg arms to the upper sides of said tilting arms adjacent theproximal ends of the latter with a proximal terminal portion of saidtilting arms underlying a distal terminal portion of said elevating armswhen the respective arms are aligned in a generally horizontal position;a bucket carried between said tilting arms and adapted to receivematerial when said arms are generally horizontal whereby to elevate saidmaterial above said body when said arms areraised to said generallyvertical position; a first pair of hydraulic power cylinders interposedbetween said truck and said elevating arms for raising said our saidgenerally horizontal position to said verti- .rii position, and a secondpair of hydraulic power cylinders interposed between said elevating armsand said tilting arms, each having one end thereof connected to theunderlying proximal terminal portion of said tilting arms and having theother end connected to the elevating arms so that said second cylinders,by extension, when said elevating arms are in said generally verticalposition cause buckling of said arms at said elbow pivots to dump material in said bucket into said body, said hydraulic power cylinderscontaining at least one pair of complemental cup and plug members, saidcomplemental members being positioned and adapted to engage during aportion of the travel. of a piston in said cylinder adjacent the limitof said travel of said piston whereby to dampen the motion of saidpiston during said portion of travel.

l 2. A self-loading truck comprising: a receptacle body; a pair ofgenerally parallel arms mounted attheir proximal ends on said truck forswinging movement between generally horizontal and generally verticalpositions, said arms each having a proximal section and a distalsection; a hinge joint pivotally connecting the respective proximal anddistal sections of each of said arms and having mating surfaces disposedon overlapping portions of said sections adapted to engage when saidsections are in axial alignment, thereby locking said joint againstbuckling in an upward direction when said arms are generally horizontalwhile allowing buckling in a downward direction; a materialreceivingbucket carried between said distal sections; power-operated meansinterposed between said truck and said proximal sections for raisingsaid arms from said generally horizontal to said generally verticalposition; and a pair of hydraulic power cylinders operatively associatedwith said proximal and distal sections for buckling said arms at saidhinge joints to dump material in said bucket into said body when saidarms are in said generally vertical position, said hydraulic powercylinders each containing at least one pair of cup and plug membersadapted to dampen the motion of the piston during a portion of itstravel.

1.3. A self-loading truck comprising: a receptacle body having a firstportion and a second portion, said second portion being of lesser widththan said first portion; a pair of generally parallel arms mounted onopposite sides of said truck for swinging movement in unison betweengenerally horizontal and generally vertical positions, said arms eachhaving a proximal section and a distal section; hinge joints pivotallyconnecting the respective proximal and distal sections of each of saidarms and having mating surfaces disposed on overlapping portions of saidsections and adapted to engage when said sections are in axialalignment, thereby locking said joint against buckling in an upwarddirection when said arms are generally horizontal but allowing bucklingof said joint in a downward direction; a material receiving bucketcarried between said distal sections; and power-operated means forraising said sections in unison and thereafter causing said sections tobuckle at said hinge joints whereby material contained in said bucketwill be dumped into said body and said bucket and distal sections maybe'lowered into the first portion of said body to shift the materialtherein.

14. A self-loading truck comprising: a receptacle body having apredetermined height and width; a pair of generally parallel armsmounted on said truck for swinging movement in unison between generallyhorizontal and generally vertical positions, said arms being mounted sothat they are positioned adjacent one end of said body when in'saidgenerally vertical position and said arms each havinga proximal sectionand a distal section; a hinge joint pivotally connecting the sections ofeach of said arms and having mating surfaces disposed on overlappingportions of said sections and adapted to engage when said sections arein axial alignment thereby locking said joint against bucklingin anupward direction when said arms are generally horizontal but allowingbuckling in a downward direction, said proximal sections being of such alength that said hinge'joints are disposed above the highest point onsaid adjacent end of said body when said arms positioned generallyvertical and said distal sections being spaced apart less than theinternal width of said body; a material-receiving bucket carried betweensaid distal sections; and a power-operated means for raising said armsin unison and thereafter causing said sec tions to buckle at said hingejoints to dump material in the bucket into said body andto tilt saiddistal sections generally downwardly to lower said bucket and distalsections in said body to shift materials therein.

15. A loading device to be used with a truck having a receptacle bodyofpredetermined width and height comprising: a pair of lifting arms spacedapart less than said width, each arm including a proximal section and adistal section, said proximal sections being pivotally attached to saidtruck and being of such length as to extend above said body height whenraised to a vertical position; hinge joints pivotally interconnectingsaid section; a material-receiving bucket carried between the distalends of said distal sections; a first pair of hydraulie power cylindersinterposed between said truck and said proximal sections for raisingsaid arms from a generally horizontally extending position to agenerally vertically extending position; and a second pair of hydraulicpower cylinders interposed between said proximal sections and saiddistal sections for buckling said sections at said hinge joints to dumpmaterial from said bucket into said body and to tilt said distalsections generally downwardly to lower said bucket into said body tolongitudinally shift material therein, said hydraulic power cylinderseach containing at least one pair of complemental cup and plug members,said complemental members being positioned and adapted to engage duringa portion of the travel of the piston in said cylinder to dampen themotion of said piston during said portion of the travel.

16. In combination with a truck having a box-like receptacle body ofpredetermined width and height, a loading device comprising: a pair ofelevating arms mounted at their proximal ends on opposite sides of saidtruck for swinging movement between generally horizontal and generallyvertical positions, said arms being mounted so as to be positionedadjacent one end of said body when in said vertical position; a pair oftilting arms spaced apart less than the internal width of said body; apair of elbow pivots connecting the distal ends of said elevating armswith the upper sides of said tilting arms adjacent the proximal ends ofthe latter with a proximal terminal portion of said tilting armsunderlying a distal terminal portion of said elevating arms when therespective arms are aligned in a generally horizontal position, saidelevating arms being of such a length that said elbow pivots aredisposed above the highest point on said adjacent end of said body whensaid arms are positioned generally vertical; a bucket carried betweensaid tilting arms and adapted to receive material when said arms aregeneral ly horizontal whereby to elevate said material above said bodywhen said arms are raised in said generally vertical position; a firstpair of hydraulic power cylinders interconnected between said truck andsaid elevating arms for raising said arms from said generally horizontalposition to said generally vertical position; and a second pair ofhydraulic power cylinders interconnected between 10 said elevating armsand said tilting arms, each having one end thereof connected to theunderlying proximal terminal portion ofsaid tilting arms and having theother end connected to said elevating arms so that said secondcylinders, by extension, when said elevating arms are in said generallyvertical position cause buckling of said arms at said elbow pivots todump material in said bucket into said body and to lower said bucket andtilting arms into said body whereby to longitudinally shift materialstherein by reciprocally swinging said arms while buckled as aforesaid,said hydraulic power cylinders each containing one pair of complementalcup and plug members, said complemental members being positioned andadapted to engage during a portion of the travel of the piston in saidcylinder adjacent the limit of travel of said piston whereby to dampenthe motion of said piston during said portion of travel.

17. A self-loading truck comprising: a receptacle body having a majorportion of maximum. width and a minor portion of minimum width; a pairof elevating arms mounted at their proximal ends on said truck forswinging movement between generally horizontal and generally verticalpositions; a pair of tilting arms spaced apart less than the internalwidth of the major portion of said body and more than the width of saidminor portion; a hinge joint connecting each tilting arm to a respectiveelevating arm with a terminal portion of one of said arms extendingunder a terminal portion of the other arm when said arms are generallyhorizontal, said terminal portions having mating surfaces which engagewhen said arms are in axial alignment and lock said joint againstpivotal movement in one direction but allow pivotal movement in theopposite direction, said elevating arms being of such length that saidhinge joints are disposed above the highest point of the end of saidbody nearest said arms when said arms are positioned generally vertical;a material-receiving bucket carried between said tilting arms; poweroperated means interconnected between said truck and said elevating armsfor raising said arms from said generally horizontal position to saidgenerally vertical position; and a pair of hydraulic power cylindersinterposed between said elevating arms and said tilting arms such thatsaid cylinders, by extension, cause buckling of the arms at said hingedjoints to dump materials in said bucket into said body when saidelevating arms are in said generally vertical position and totilt saidtilting arms generally downwardly from said hinge joints to lower saidtilting arms and bucket into the major portion of said body whereby toshift material therein by reciprocally swinging said arms while buckledas aforesaid, said hydraulic power cylinders each containingcomplemental cup and plug members to dampen the motion of the pistonduring a portion of its travel.

18. A self-loading truck comprising: a receptacle body of predeterminedwidth and height; a pair of arms mounted on said truck for swingingmovement between generally horizontal and generally vertical positions,said arms being positioned adjacent one end of said body when in saidvertical position and each having a proximal section and a distalsection; a hinge joint pivotally connecting the sections of each of saidarms and having mating surfaces disposed on overlapping. portions ofsaid sections and adapted to engage when said sections are in axialalignment, thereby locking said joint against buckling in one directionbut allowing buckling in the opposite direction, said proximal sectionbeing of such length that said hinge joints are disposed above thehighest point of said adjacent end of said body when said arms arepositioned generally vertical and said distal sections being spacedapart less than the internal width of said body; a material-receivingbucket carried between said tilting arms; power-operated meansinterconnected between said truck and said arms for raising said armsfrom said generally horizontal position to 's aid generally verticalposition; and a pair of hydraulic Jopen top body mounted on said chassisand having lateral offsets in the side walls thereof whereby to providea major portion of said body of maximum width and a minor portion oflesser width; a pair of generally parallel arms disposed on oppositesides of said chassis and mounted at their proximal ends on a transversepivot axis on said chassis said axis being adjacent said minor portion,said arms normally projecting substantially horizontally away from saidmajor body portion, each of said arms having a hinge joint intermediateits ends to divide the same into proximal and distal sections, saidproximal sections being spaced apart more than the width of said minorportion and less than the width 'of said major portion; and said hingejoint being above the height of said body when said arms are swung aboutsaid pivot axis to an upstanding position with said proximal sectionsadjacent said offsets; a bucket mounted between the distal ends of saidarms and adapted to receive material when said arms are substantiallyhorizontal to lift the same to a point over said body when said arms areswung upwardly as aforesaid; first double acting power means to swingsaid arms between said suba 12 stantially horizontal position and saidupstanding position; and second power means to buckle said arms at saidhinge joints to swing said bucket downwardly into said major bodyportion when said arms are in said upstanding position whereby materialin said bucket may be dumped into said body and compacted therein bysaid bucket when said arms are buckled as aforesaid.

20. A self-loading truck comprising; a receptacle body; a pair ofgenerally parallel arms mounted at their proximal ends on said truck forswinging movement between generally horizontal and generally verticalpositions, ,a distal member for each arm; a hinge joint connecting eachdistal member to the distal end of a respective arm with a terminalportion of each arm lapping a terminal portion of its respective distalmember when said arms are generally horizontal, said terminal portionshaving mating surfaces which engage when said arms are generallyhorizontal to lock said joints against buckling in an upward directionbut to allow buckling of said joints in a downward direction; a materialbucket carried between said distal sections; and power operated meansfor raising said arms in unison and thereafter causing said members tobuckle at said hinge joints as aforesaid to dump material in said bucketinto said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,892,243 Lambert Dec. 27, 1932 2,441,591 Owen May 18, 1948 2,457,039Graves et al. Dec. 21, 1948 2,564,250 Colfee Aug. 14, 1951 2,664,859Green Jan. 5, 1954

